Improvement in fire-kindlers



' H. N. WOODMAN.

Pir'e-KindlerL No. 203,809. Patented May 14, 1878,.

NiEI'ERS, FHOTO-LITHDGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY N WOODMAN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-KINDLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,809, dated May 14,1878; application filed August 2, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY N. WOODMAN, of Springfield, county of Hampden,and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful combinationand arrangement of materials or substances which together constituteanew Fire-Kindler, which invention is fully set forth in the annexedspecification and in the accompanying drawing.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and safe fire-kindlerwhich will be an advantageous substitute for shavings, paper, and likematerials for kindling wood and soft coal. Many descriptions ofmanufactured fire-kindlers which have heretofore been made lacksufficient absorbent qualities to properly take up the resinoussubstances which constitute their principal value as kindlers. Owing tothis fact, it is a frequent cause of complaint that such kindlers, whenignited, fail to burn entirely, and only the surface covering ofinflammable material, or a small portion of it, is consumed, Withoutigniting the body of the kindler, and consequently they often fail toaccomplish the object for which they are employed.

In my invention I entirely obviate the 0bjections above set forth, and,instead of providing a material to be simply covered with resinoussubstances, the nature and disposition of it provides cells andinterstices, in which the inflammable material finds an easy lodgment,and becomes so intermingled with the body of the kindler that once it isset on fire it is sure to be completely consumed, and to ignite the fuelwith which it may be placed in contact.

The drawing shows the general form of my kindler, the body of which isformed from bunched or wrapped excelsior or other slitted or similarlyprepared wood-fiber.

A small quantity of this material is taken in the hands of the workmanand molded into about the form shown in the drawing, and the longprojecting ends of the fiber are wound around the bundle, as shown at aand b, and tucked under the surrounding band, or otherwise fastenedtemporarily in the bundle. After a quantity of these bundles have thusbeen made they are put together into a vessel of melted resinouscompound, and after remaining therein for a few moments they becomethoroughly saturated therewith, and they are then removed from thevessel, allowed to get cool,. and are then packed for use.

The wrapping ends of the fiber become thus so cemented together that thebundle is compact, and will bear any necessary handling and retain itsshape.

It is obvious that a similar fire-kindler to mine might be made fromcertain kindsof coarse grasses or soft corn-husks made into bunches anddipped in a resinous compound, as

hereinbefore set forth; but such material would lack the absorbentqualities of wood, and would not be so good for the purpose as is thesubstance I use.

What I claim as new is- As a new article of manufacture, thehereinbefore-described fire-kindler, consisting of ,excelsior bundledinto convenient size and form, wound and retained in shape by its ownfibers, and saturated with an inflammable resinous substance,substantially as set forth.

HENRY NELSON WOODMAN.

Witnesses:

H. A. OHAPIN, WM. H. OHAPIN.

